Washing machine



Feb. 18, 1930. w. G. BEATTY WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov. '7, 1929 2 Sheets-Shet v1 ll. 0 n

[N1/EN To@ /7 r rae/yf Y W. G. BEATTY WASHING MACHINE Filed NOVI?, 1929 2 sheets-sneu 2 INVENTUQ #TTU/2775 Feb. 1s, 1930.

Patented Feb. 1s, i9304 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM GEORGE BEATTYY, OF FERGUS, ONTARIO, CANADA WASHING MACHINE Application led November This invention relates to a washingmachine of a type such as comprising a station ary tub and an agitator, within it, oscillated and vertically adjusted by a shaft entered through the tub bottom.

According to my present improvements, the invention is characterized in that the washing machine comprises a tub having a central opening through its bottom, an agitator within the tub oscillated and vertically adjusted by a shaft entered through the opening, and a false bottom, within the tub, raised and lowered by the agitator during its vertical adjustments; the false bottom being provided with a central opening for and co-axial with the agitator, the opening in the tub bottom being provided with an elongated boss or tubular post which extends above the maximum normal water level of the tub, the agilar post and extending above its upper end, and the agitator having, a tubular hub for enclosing the post and which is secured to the agitator shaft for the oscillation of the agitator, a base at its lower end projecting beneath the false bottom for engaging and raising it during the upward adjustment of the agitator, and a set of blades'the diameters of which are less than the diameter of the central opening through the false bottom for the uninterrupted oscillation of the agitator during the operation of the apparatus.

Various means may be employed for actuating the agitator shaft and agitator, and the following description of thestructural ldetails of the washing machine is explanatory of one practical application of the invent-ion.

For an understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and to the accompanying drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a washing machine; i

- Fig. 2 is a plan View of the agitator;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modification of 'the agitator shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the false bottom;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on a line 1 -4, Fig. 4; Y

tator shaft being entered through the tubu! 7, 1929. Serial No. 405,512.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a tub provided with an annular ledge for spacing the false bottom from the tub bottom; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of one of the ,55

standards of the framework.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawings.

The tub comprises a cylindrical wall 1, a bottom 2 formed with a central opening 3, and a false. bottom 4 which, as shown in Fig. 1, is provided with a down-turned peripheral flange 5 normallyseated upon the tub bottom for spacing the false bottom from it, and as shown in Fig. 6 is constructed without a peripheral flange' and spaced from the tub bottom by an annular ledge 5a at the bottom of the cylindrical wall. The false bottom 4 is provided with perforations 7 for the circulation of the washing fluid between that part of the tub above it and that part of the tub below it duringits vertical adjustments, and for draining the water from the articles in the tub when the false bottom is raised to or above the maximum normal level of the washing fluid. The false bottom is constructed with a central opening 8 co-axial with and of greater diameter than that of the central opening 3.

The tub is supported by a framework composed of a set of standards 9 connected tog'ether at or near their lower ends by cross braces 10, at the top by an annular brace 12 and intermediate the braces 10 and 12 by an annular brace 13, and provided below the cross braces with casters 11 yfor the mobility of the machine. The tubis seated upon and supported by the intermediate brace 13, and the outer surface of its cylindrical wall 1 is engaged by the brace 12 for preventing the lateral or radial displacement Vof the tub. Two'bars 14 extend across the framework from the annular brace 13 and these bars are located, one on each side of, 'equi-'distant from, and parallel to, a diameter of the annular brace. Below the annular brace 13 is a gear case 16, the top of which is constructedv with an opening 17 provided with a boss 18 which` extends, approximately to theI top of the brace 13 and forms a central support for the tub. The bore of the boss is, screw threaded, and, co-axial with the central opening 3 in the tub bottom and the central opening 8 in the false bottom. Formed through the bottom of the gear case is an opening 19 co-axial with the opening 17 and entered through the opening 19 is a bearing 20 provided with a shoulder 2Oi1 seated on the upper surface ofthe gear case bottom. The bearing below the gear case is screw threaded and provided with a nut 21 which, together with the shoulder 20, secures the bearing in its set position in the gear case, and within the gear case the bearing is provided with braces 23 for resisting lateral movement or side thrust. The gear case is suspended from the intermediate brace 13 by hangers 24 and from the cross bars 14 by hangers 25, which rigidly hold itin its set position. A tubular post 26 is entered in the bore of the boss 18 and.the outer surface of the post is screw threaded to engage with the screw threaded bore of theA boss. The tubular post extends, through the openings 3 and 8, upwardly into the tub, to or above its maximum normal water level; and is provided with a shoulder 28 above the tub bottom. A compressible washer 30 is interposed between the shoulder 28 and the tub bottom for establishing a water tight joint between the tub bottom and the post when the a latter is screwed into the boss. The tubular justment of the sha post 26 is provided at its upper" end with a bearing 32, the bore of which is co-axial with the bore of the bearing20. The agitator shaft 33 is, j ournalled in, and, vertically movable through, the bearings 20 and 32, and ex- A f3 the body of the base 50 is provided with ing 35 corresponds with the internal diam eter of the tubular ost and'during the adthis bearing moves up and down with the pinion 34. A rack 43 is mounted in the gear case and connected by a pitman 44 with the crank 45 of the-main drive gear 46. A hanger 36 is suspended from, the annular brace 13 and a lever 37 is fulcrumed to the hanger. The short arm 38 of the lever is knuckled to a block 38a at the lower end of the agitator shaft 33, and the long arm 39 of the lever is entered through a slot 4Q in the adjacent standard 9. The upper end Qf the slot is provided with two stops 41, 41, and the lower end of the slot 40 is provided with a similar stop 42. When theagitator i shaft is lowered to the limit of its adjustment in a downward direction it eects the lowering of the agitator within the tub until the base of the agitator, in its lowermost position in the tub, isapproximately at or near the tub bottom. The pinion 34 is then in mesh with the rack 43 which, during its reciprocations, causes the oscillation of the pinion, shaft, and agitator, and the lever arm 39 is entered in the stop 41 which maintains the agitator andfalse bottom in their-lowered position in the tub, and the pinion 34 in mesh with the rack 43. When it is desired to move the pinion out vof mesh with the rack, without lifting the agitator and false bottom to their maximum elevated position, the lever arm 39 is lowered into the stop 41, and when it is desired to raise the false bottom to its highest elevated position the lever arm 39 is lowered to its limit of movement in a downward direction, the lever during its downward movement raising the agitator shaft and agitator;

its limit of movement in a downward'direction, it is entered in the stop 42 and the agitator shaft, agitator, and false bottom are maintained at their limit of movement in an upward direction. The bearing 20 engages the pinion 34, when in mesh with the rack, and larrests the rescent of the agitator shaft at the limit of its downward movement and maintains the pinion in mesh with the rack. The agitator comprises a hub 48 of such shape and dimensions as to enclose the tubular post, a cap 49 at the upper en'd of the hub, and a circular base 50 at the lower end of the hub, the plane of which is parallel or substantially parallel to that of the false bottom. In Fig. 1 the diameter of the base is greater than that of the central opening 8 for providinga rim 50l 'which extends beneath the false bottom and engages it when the agitator moves upwardly with the shaft 33. In Fig.

' agitator shaft 33 is a head 52 of correspondingshape to, and entered in, the bore of the capI 49, and beneath the head is a disc or circular flange 53 for engaging a shoulder 49a on the inner surface of the cap. The cap may be secured to the shaft by a pin 54 and its bore may have a multi-lateral face for ensuring the united movement of the shaft and agitator during their oscillation. The pin, however, maybe dispensed with and the oscillation effected solely by the engagement of the multi-lateral faces of the head of the agitator shaft with those of the bore of the cap. When the pin isdispensed with the vertical adjustment of the agitator is effected in an upward 'direction by the disc or circular flange 53 engaging the cap and in a downward direction by gravity.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz- 1. A washing machine comprisin a tub having a central opening through its bottom, an oscillatory and vertically adjustable shaft entered through the bottom, an agitator within the tub oscillatedand vertically adjusted bythe shaft, and a perforated false bottom, within the tub, raised and lowered by the agitator during its vertical adjustments.

-2. A washing machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the false bottom is provided with a central opening for and co-axial with the agitator.

3. A washing machine as claimed in claim 1 in `which the opening in the tub bottom is provided with a tubular post which extends above the maximum normal water level of the tub, the agitator shaft is entered through the tubular post and extends above its upper end, and the agitator has a tubular hub for enclosing the post, and to which is secured to the agitator shaft for the oscillation of the agitator.

4. A washing machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the base of the agitator projects beneath the false bottom for engaging and raising it during the upward adjustment of the agitator, and a set of blades extend above the base the diameters of which are less than ithediameter of the central openingthrough the false bottom for the uninterrupted oscillation of the agitator.

Dated at Fergus, Ontario, this twelfth day of October, 1929.

WILLIAM GEORGE BEATTY. 

